Literary Arts Week

Literary Arts Week is a new initiative from GBCA. Working with the Maryland State Arts Council and CityLit Project, several literary events are coordinated to take place in one week to show the breadth and diversity of literary events in the region. All of the events are free as part of Free Fall Baltimore.

Literary Arts Week takes place in the fall of every year. More information on individual events are listed below. Additional information can be found by clicking here.

The historic Poe House in Baltimore resurrects for free open hours during October (weekends 12-4pm). Check out the house as it undergoes new exhibit installations and learn about Poe Baltimore, the new organization charged with maintaining the house and promoting Poe’s legacy in Baltimore and beyond. Enjoy special opening and closing events on the first and last weekends of October.

Take this 90 minute walking tour with the Maryland Humanities Council, following in the footsteps of Baltimore’s literary luminaries past Mount Vernon’s elegant mansions and majestic cultural institutions, built by successful 19th century merchants and industrialists. Learn how a neighborhood of scholars, struggling artists and authors, newspapermen, philanthropists, and social reformers offered rich opportunities to discuss and debate ideas and open new literary avenues.

Dylan Landis, author of Normal People Don’t Live Like This, a novel-in-stories that Elizabeth Strout called a “wonderful, intriguing and original debut,” will read from her fiction and answer questions. Books will be available for sale and signing.

The New Mercury Nonfiction Reading Series, inspired by Mencken’s American Mercury magazine, comes home to Hollins Street with readings by 3 Baltimore writers and the Sage of Baltimore himself (Mencken impersonator John Dausch).

Sidewalk Stories: A Literary Walking Tour of Bolton Hill

Host organization:CityLit Press with Jennifer Wallace
Date: October 12 from 10-11:30 AM
Location:The Corner of Lafayette and Mt. Royal Avenue in front of Corpus Christi Church; please arrive promptly at 10 AM
Tickets: Tour is free, but pre-registration is required by emailing your name and all names in your party to info@citylitproject.org by Friday October 11.

Local author and photographer, Jennifer Wallace (It Can be Solved by Walking, CityLit Press), leads a walk in Bolton Hill with stops at key landmarks like the house where F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Curious Case of Benjamin Button—and readings from her own collection of observations and impressions of one of Baltimore’s most literary neighborhoods. Discounted books will be available for purchase.

Celebrate the workplace history of Baltimore with an open mic reading of your work-related stories and poems at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Writing prompts from the editors of the Baltimore Review will help you craft your working life into literary art.

“Lit and Art at the Watermark”Host organization:The Watermark GalleryDate: October 13 from 2-5 PM
Location:The Watermark Gallery, 100 S. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. Second floor of the Bank of America building

A showcase of local, national, and international talent- with live music and open mic! Hosted by Baltimore authors, Nitin Jagdish and Eric D. Goodman, with artist, Manzar.